Ahmedabad retiree loses ₹30,000 after fraudster hacks friend’s WhatsApp account

A 65-year-old retired man from Ahmedabad was allegedly duped of ₹30,000 after a cyber fraudster hacked his friend’s WhatsApp account and sought financial assistance by posing as the acquaintance.

According to Bodakdev Police, Sureshbhai Naranbhai Patel, a resident of the Science City area, received a WhatsApp message on April 9 from the number of his friend Dhanjibhai Ragwani, who currently resides in Kenya.

Police said the message, sent from the Kenyan mobile number beginning with +254, claimed that urgent financial help was needed. Believing the message to be genuine, Patel responded the next morning and was allegedly asked to transfer money through a UPI account.

The complainant stated that the sender provided a payment number and later shared a QR code linked to the UPI ID “6268732235@superyes”. Trusting that the request had come from his friend, Patel transferred ₹30,000 from his HDFC Bank account through a banking application.

The fraudster later demanded additional money, which raised suspicion. When Patel attempted to call the WhatsApp number, the calls were reportedly disconnected and replies indicated that the sender was “at work”.

Suspecting foul play, Patel contacted the wife of his friend Dhanjibhai Ragwani and later spoke to him directly. During the conversation, Ragwani allegedly informed him that his WhatsApp account had been hacked and that unknown persons were sending messages to relatives and acquaintances seeking money.

Realising he had fallen victim to cyber fraud, Patel contacted the national cybercrime helpline 1930 and registered an online complaint. Police said an acknowledgement number was generated following the cyber complaint, after which Patel approached Bodakdev Police Station and lodged a formal FIR.

The complainant has submitted copies of the WhatsApp conversations as part of the investigation.

Police have registered a case against the unidentified accused and the holder of the UPI-linked bank account.